Rebirth Event
Air, Fire, Earth and Water are the themes for a participatory afternoon at the Huerto Café, Hidalgo 212 in Riberas del Pilar, Saturday, January 28, 4-7 p.m. Expect drumming, water-has-life demos, incense, meditation, and more.
A shaman will conduct a ceremony giving an opportunity to connect with nature’s forces and offer a new start to the new year. Admission is 200 pesos and includes appetizers and drinks. To reserve, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Waldorf Education
The education system advocated by Dr. Rudolf Steiner 100 years ago in Germany will be the focus of a presentation at the Ajijic Cultural Center on Saturday, January 28, 10 a.m. to noon.
Waldorf/Steiner schools now exist in many countries around the world, including several in Mexico.
There is no charge and all are welcome. For more information, see facebook/Waldorf.
Open Circle
Loretta Downs will give a presentation on “The Mysterious Metamorphosis at the End of Life” at Open Circle Sunday, January 29, 10:30 a.m. in the garden of the Lake Chapala Society.
Downs returns to Open Circle with new material from her TED talk, “The Mysterious Metamorphosis at the End of Life,” in which she uses the transformation of the Monarch butterfly as a metaphor for the cycle of all life. She will suggest ways to prepare for the end of life with courage and grace, and how to consider the quality of your death with the same attention and enthusiasm you give to defining the quality of your life.
With more than 30 years as a companion to AIDS patients, nursing home patients, hospice patients, and friends and family nearing the end of life, Downs developed an informed and compassionate perspective on quality of death. She combines her education in thanatology and gerontology, as well as decades of experience, in her uplifting presentations on the end of life issues we all face.
For more information, see opencircleajijic.org.
Culinary Arts Society of Ajjic
Celebrity Chef Greg Couillard is coming in from the beach in La Manzanilla to present two cooking classes for the Culinary Arts Society of Ajjic (CASA), Tuesday, February 21 and Wednesday, February 22. Each class runs from 1 to 5 p.m. each day and the menu is Indian Sub-Continent, along with Chef Greg’s poetic license. The class includes recipes and tasting of all the dishes and two glasses of wine. The cost for CASA members is 650 pesos and 700 pesos for non-members. These classes benefit the Tepehua Community Center. For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Genealogy Forum
The next meeting of the Genealogy Forum will be Monday, January 30, 1 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Riberas del Pilar. The Forum is open to the public at no cost. Pat Reynolds and Fran Murphy will present tips and tricks for using Ancestry.com for researching your family history. Ancestry.com is a paid subscription online site and has perhaps the world´s largest collection of genealogy data. However, it is available to the public at no cost only through the Family History Center (FCH), also located at the church. The FHC is open to everyone on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-noon. There are always one or two people there to help you trace your families. Beginners to genealogy are especially welcome. Join in to learn more about your family.
For more information, contact Murphy, 766-0067.
Shriners specials at Telares
The next monthly Dine with the Shrine date is set for Tuesday, January 31 at Los Telares, Morelos 6, Ajijic. Savor the specials of the day at lunch or dinner, noon to 8 p.m., The proceeds go toward the activities of the Lake Chapala Shrine Club.
Menu options are sea bass in lLemon sauce served with mixed vegetables, or
chicken Parmigiana with fetuccini pasta. The 140-peso price does not include tips, salads, desserts or drinks. For reservations call (376) 766-0428.
LCS seminar
Lake Chapala Society (LCS) members are invited to attend a TED seminar, Tuesday, January 31, noon to 1:15 p.m. This seminar features entrepreneur Jia Jiang speaking on “What I learned from 100 days of rejection.”
Jiang adventures boldly into a territory so many of us fear: rejection. By seeking out rejection for 100 days — from asking a stranger to borrow US$100 to requesting a “burger refill” at a restaurant — Jiang desensitized himself to the pain and shame that rejection often brings and, in the process, discovered that simply asking for what you want can open up possibilities where you expect to find dead ends.
Legion events.
During February, American Legion Post 7 hosts a number of events geared to expats.
On February 1, the U.S. Consulate sends out staffers from 9:30-10:30 a.m. to answer questions. Saturday, February 4, the Legion holds a flea-market style bazaar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, February 5, the Super Bowl begins with an early happy hour at 3 p.m. and kick off at 5 p.m. Get in on the Super Bowl pool. Bring botanas. On Tuesday, February 14 come with your loved one to enjoy Renaciendo Al Amour (A Romantic Interlude) with Rondalla Chapala. Social hour begins 2 p.m. and dinner is served at 3 p.m. The menu is roast pork loin, with gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad and chocolate cake. All for 200 pesos. Tuesday February 28, the Legion hosts a Mardi Gas celebration with the social hour/DJ Howard beginning 3 p.m. and dinner served at 4 p.m. The menu is jambalaya with candied carrots, tomatoes vinaigrette, corn bread and Ice cream. Tickets are 175 pesos.
British Society
The Lakeside British Society will hold its monthly luncheon meeting Saturday, February 4, 1 p.m. at Manix Restaurant, Ocampo 57 in Ajijic. Sue Burbury will give a talk entitled, An English midwife’s journey of Life: a lighthearted reflection.
Menu choices begin with a small salad or zucchini flower soup, choice of steak pie with mashed potatoes and gravy or frilled maji-maji with rice and beans or chile relleno with rice and beans or a large salad. Dessert is Neopolitan flan. The cost is 150 pesos plus tip. Call Arleen at 766-1742 or contact Sue Sterlini at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to confirm your attendance and choice of menu. All visitors welcome.
Buddhists
The Heart of Awareness Buddhist Sangha offers meditation opportunities several times each week. Note that, due to the retreat schedule from Friday, January 27 through Sunday, January 29, the regular Sunday morning meditation period (9-10 a.m.) will not be offered. On Monday, January 30, senior dharma teacher DaeJa Napier will offer a period of meditation and inquiry from 10-11:30 a.m.
The Sangha’s regular meditation and teaching session is on Wednesdays when the center opens at 3:30 p.m. for silent meditation followed at 4 p.m. by a formal meditation period. February 1, Loretta Downs will give a talk on “Impermanence” following the meditation. Loretta is a part-time resident of Ajijic, a Buddhist practitioner, and long-term advocate for a more enlightened approach to our inherent/inescapable mortality.
The Heart of Awareness is grounded in the teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition. Prior experience or affiliation is not required. The sangha’s location is at Guadalupe Victoria 101 in Ajijic. For further information see www.heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert (331) 043-4669.
Tarahumara grill
Libby Townsend and La Bodega Restaurant are joining in a fundraiser for the Tarahumara Children’s Hospital in Mexico’s Copper Canyon. Grillin’ for the Tarahumara, a Mex-Western afternoon of food, fun and frivolity, is on Sunday, February 5, 1-5 p.m. Music is by DJ Phil. Tarahumara goods, clothing and hats by Ana R. and finery by Jose Melendrez will be on display and for sale. All donations of warm clothing, blankets, school supplies and cash will get a chance to win an original painting by Nancy Greenheart.
Trivia Quiz
Niños Incapacitados brings back the popular and wacky Trivia Quiz fundraiser, Tuesday, February 7, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Hotel Real in Ajijic. As part of the fun, teams are recognized not only for their success with the brain-teasers but also for their creativity, originality and wit in their choices of team names, attire, table decorations and snack.
So make your teams of eight or partial teams, bring your own munchies and have a great time. The bar opens one hour before each quiz. For tickets, 350 pesos, contact Debra McDermott, 765-3757. For more information, see www.programaninos.com.
The Bravo Theatre
The Bravo Theatre Actor’s Showcase present scenes from various stage plays at The Bravo Theatre, Wednesday and Thursday, February 8 and 9, 4 p.m. and Friday, February 10, 7:30 p.m.
Chili Cook-off
For the 39th year the Chili Cook-off returns to Ajijic at Tobolandia Water Park February 10-12. This year, a new expanded parade is scheduled. This three-day fiesta is Lakeside’s largest charity event. It begins with a huge parade through Ajijic, finishing up at Tobolandia. Entertainment includes Aztec dancers, mariachi, belly dancers, ukulele group, various bands, folkloric dances, dancing horses and more. New types of food will be sold this year and local arts and crafts will be available. There are shuttle buses for those who need it.
There are still openings for competitors in the Salas and Margarita contests and two spots open for Chili cooks on Sunday as of press time. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to compete.
For booth space call Jorge at 331-279-1721. To participate in the parade call Hector, 331-065-0725. To volunteer, see mexicannationalchilicookoff.com.
Dining in the Dark
Enjoy a unique sensory experience at the Cena a Ciegas dinner gala scheduled for Saturday, February 11, 7 p.m., at Chapala City Hall, a dual benefit for Cruz Roja Chapala and DIF programs.
Guests will start out next door at the Municipal Archives where they will be blindfolded. Personal escorts will then guide them one-by-one by to seating in the City Hall lobby.
The concept is to gain understanding of living with sight-impairments, tucking into a four-course gourmet meal with eyes covered to heighten the senses of taste, smell, touch and hearing. During dessert, service diners will remove their blindfolds to have a look at the faces of their tablemates, the dining area decor and the string ensemble providing the evening’s low-key musical entertainment.
Tickets are available at Yoly’s Estetica in Plaza Bugambilias and from Cristina Flores at the Centro Cultural Antigua Presidencia (former town hall), Chapala. The donation of 390 pesos includes a beverage with the meal.
Riberas del Pilar
Josy Perez, seen here with waiter Rene Santiago, is closing Josy’s Restaurant’s in Riberas del Pilar on Friday, February 3. So, if you want to enjoy her home-cooked food one more time, stop by next week. She will be selling her pulled pork, chicken vegetable soup and other dishes to go at the February 4 monthly American Legion Bazaar and at the Monday and Tuesday markets after that.
Scholarship dinner-dance
Los Niños de Chapala and Ajijic (NCA) celebrate their 40th anniversary by holding their biggest fundraiser: the annual Valentine’s dinner, auction and dance at the Montecarlo hotel in Chapala, Saturday, February 11, 5-10 p.m. Slated is a fabulous buffet with three main dishes, three sides, two salads and three desserts along with wine, beer, Margaritas, and other spirits. There will be a live and silent auction (the live auction will offer catering for a group of 20 by Juan “Texas Ranger” Mata). Entertainment is courtesy of rock and blues band Mike and the Suspects. Free valet parking.
Tickets, 500 pesos, are available at NCA’s Bazaar in Riberas del Pilar, call 765-7032, (331) 069-0084 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Community pet care
Companions and Compassion is a group dedicated to the spay and neutering of dogs and cats in Jocotepec. The group was founded by Dee Mistrik and Linda Hines in 2012. Each clinic spays and neuters approximately 100 animals, including street dogs, cats and pets of the disadvantaged villagers that need the most help.
The group’s annual Spay-ghetti No Balls dinner is held Saturday, February 25, 5-10 p.m. at the Raquet Club terraza. An all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner (vegetarian or Bolognese), salad, garlic bread and dessert is offered for 300 pesos, all of which goes to the cost of the clinics. Dana Douin will give a performance as Neil Diamond.
For tickets call Gail, (331) 325-6227, Dee, (387) 761-0041 or go to Diane Pearl or the Raquet Club office.